FULL CIRCLE
We want to apologize for the delay of this post.
We're most definitely in Maine now, but everything about this journey is still very alive + present in our minds. That's mostly why we have been avoiding this post at all costs. We don't want to see this end in writing. It's so permanent in that way- too real.
So here it goes, just for you guys. The last few weeks hiking: Routeburn Track, Milford Sound + Bluff.
The Routeburn Track + Milford Sound can be summed up in photographs. It's the best way to share the magic with you.
But for a little insight: we decided to do the Routeburn Track in one day! This is a "Great Walk" that's usually hiked in 2-3 days, but that's making it more of a luxury hiking trip... not our style. The walk was 32km (20 miles), with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains before the land turns to the sounds + then out to sea. The night before we hiked the trail, we woke up to a good few millimeters of ice on the inside of our rainfly. We knew it would only be getting colder! This great walk was amazing though, + we really felt like mother nature had gifted us with the perfect weather that day, along with some amazing sights.
Milford Sound was on our bucket list for our trip. With only a handful of days left, we had to make a game time decision. A gallery back in Queenstown made the decision for us. Tim Wilson's oil paintings had our jaws dropping... changing colors with the temperature of the lights. MAGICAL. Anyways, it sold us. We then planned the trip, rented a car + made our way to yet, another beautiful spot. The boat cruise was our best option, with breakfast included... can't turn down a free breakfast buffet, right?
After Milford, we hopped back on trail to finally complete our hike on the Te Araroa. Fully knowing this wouldn't be the most climactic ending (walking a beach + highway to the end), it was special in the way that this was how we started. We had come full circle. So there we were, walking in the rain, first a day on the beach + then a day on the highway. We can still feel how we did that day: relieved, happy, accomplished, sad that it was the end... + the splash from every car that drove by us.
BLUFF! We got there, to the southernmost point of New Zealand. Our good friends Colin + Sian joined us as we strolled down to Bluff with one light bag for champagne + our cameras, while leaving the rest of our things at an Airbnb in town. The journey had been completed once we touched the sign + honestly it was pretty emotional. We had done it. Maybe not the whole trail, but we had hiked a total of 1,350 miles over the span of 5 months without killing each other. If that's not success, then what is? We grew together with everyday that passed, learned to overcome fears, trust each others decisions + live in harmony together. In many ways, we feel like we got way more out of this trip than we expected.
"Willing to Roam" started as just as a fun name for us to take on during our trip. It held no true meaning to us, rather than inspiring people to roam free from what they're "supposed to do". As the trip went on, the name became our true being, without us really realizing until someone told us "you know, the way you're doing this, it's cool." We made it completely our own. Our own Te Araroa. We were willing to roam.
Thank you to everyone who supported us + kept up with our journey through New Zealand!
Marina + Devon